USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Quincy > Inaugural address of the mayor, with the annual report of the officers of the city of Quincy for the year 1924 > Part 14
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Salaries
I wish at this time to recommend an increase in salary for the Superintendent, Sanitary Inspector and Assistant Milk Inspector. These men are grossly underpaid and should be given immediate consideration. They are most efficient, conscientious and self sacrificing.
Police Station
A new station should be provided at once, the accommodations are obsolete and toilet facilities are the worst of any place to my knowledge in the state. The place would have been con- demned by now if it were not for the fact that I thought it would work a greater hardship on the police. After a talk with the chief we decided to wait and see if a new station could not be provided soon. I cannot state too emphatically the need of one at once.
Population
We have no accurate information of the number of persons in Quincy. That our population is underrated there is no doubt. At a rough estimate I would say there were 68,000 in Quincy.
I would recommend a water census of Quincy, i.e. that the water meter readers ascertain when taking their readings how many adults and children in the house. In this way we would get a fairly accurate estimate of the number of people in Quincy.
Clinics
It is very gratifying to see the attendance of the clinics increase in the last year. In the Tuberculosis Clinic especial attention has been given to hilum, bone and glandular tuberculosis and the services of the Norfolk County Hospital enlisted for X-ray and consultation.
The Schick Clinic has given children the opportunity to be im- munized against diphtheria and a large attendance is looked for during the coming year.
Child Welfare Clinic. The attendance at the central clinic was ever increasing and an extra clinic at the Public Library, Wollas- ton, was established and has been growing tremendously.
Venereal Clinics. Most of the cases at this clinic are neglected cases referred by the state or through necessity.
Brooks
The rapid growth of the city has made brooks a growing menace to health. Houses are now built so close to the brooks that accidental drowning of children or while out at play drinking
209
REPORT OF DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
from the brook is a continual source of alarm and worry. Due to building of new streets more and more surface drainage is turned into the already over crowded brooks.
Sachem brook should be covered, especially from Hancock street to Rawson Road.
Town Brook should be widened or overflow reservoirs installed along its course. Study should be made at its outlet on Hancock street about the advisability of making an extra overflow tunnel under Hancock street.
Milk
During the year a new regulation was made effective that all milk should be pasteurized or that raw milk sold should be tuber- culin tested. There is no doubt in my mind that the effect of this regulation will be of great benefit to the milk drinking child. The inspection of milk has been carried out rigidly and effec- tively during the year.
Sewers
While considerable work was done on sewers during the year it was not enough. We are so far behind in sewer construction that at the same rate of building as went on during the year it would be thirty years before we reached the stage that we ought to.
All property bordering on the water or bathing beaches should be sewered as soon as possible as cesspools will not be practical in this area. The new development of property from Wilson Avenue south should be sewered at once. A building grade should be established or there will be a subsequent economic loss as owners of these properties will have to have their cellars water- proofed.
The Merrymount or Adams estate should receive immediate attention as the clay soil does not allow permeation of cesspool matter.
The installation of an auxiliary pumping station and sewer system in Squantum should be considered as soon as possible.
Hough's Neck, Ward Four and Ward Three should have instal- lation and sewer extensions at once. In fact some method should be devised for the rapid installation of sewer.
Montclair, while not sewered, has good gravel seepage that makes cesspools in that area practical but not a source of health. I wish at this time to extend my thanks to His Honor the Mayor, the City Councillors and other city officials for their many courtesies extended to me.
I wish also to thank the entire personnel of the department for their painstaking and conscientious effort to maintain a high standard of efficiency.
Very truly yours,
M. T. SWEENEY, M. D. Health Commissioner.
210
CITY OF QUINCY
REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT
JANUARY, 1, 1925.
DR. M. T. SWEENEY, Health Commissioner.
DEAR SIR :- I hereby submit the annual report of the Depart- ment of Health, for the year ending December 31, 1924.
The personnel of the department is as follows:
Commissioner of Health and Insp. of Milk .Dr. M. T. Sweeney
Superintendent Thomas G. Smith
Clerk
Verna M. Kelley
Sanitary Inspector.
A. A. Robertson
Assistant Milk Inspector
James O'Dowd
Foreman of the Ash & Garbage Collection
James Brogan
Plumbing Inspector J. J. Keniley
Inspector of Meats and Provisions. Howard O. Rogers
Dispensary Physician. Dr. C. J. Lynch
Child Welfare Physician. Dr. E. B. Fitzgerald
Venereal Disease Physician
Dr. E. E. Smith
Bacteriologist Dr. E. E. Smith
Tuberculosis Nurse Lillian'T. Coleman, R.N.
Contagious Nurse Ruth W. Mckenzie, R.N.
Child Welfare Nurse Nettie D. Fowler, R.N.
Inspector of Animals and Slaughtering Dr. J. H. Gardner
The year 1924 has been a very busy year as regards the collection of ashes and rubbish. A weekly collection was given all parts of the city, and with an increase of approximately one thou- sand families it can be readily understood that the department was taxed to its utmost capacity, with its present equipment.
The collection of garbage has been very large and the disposal of same has been a problem, as the farmers are not in the swine business to such an extent as in previous years. The Ford truck in this part of the service has given much better satisfaction and at a much less expense than the horse drawn vehicle and I would suggest that trucks of this type be used for the outlying districts.
I wish to extend my thanks to the Health Commissioner and the other members of the department for their efficient cooperation in all matters pertaining to the department.
Appended you will find the report of the various inspectors and nurses, also report of diseases and deaths reported for the year 1924.
Respectfully submitted,
THOMAS G. SMITH, Superintendent of Health Department.
211
REPORT OF DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
REPORT OF FOREMAN
JANUARY 1, 1925.
DR. M. T. SWEENEY, Health Commissioner.
DEAR SIR :- I hereby submit my annual report for the year end- ing December 31st, 1924.
Ashes and rubbish collected by months :
Cubic yards
January
4,329
February
3,824
March
3,839
April
4,253
May
4,139
June
3,188
July
3,172
August
2,994
September
3,170
October
4,002
November
4,529
December
5,980
Total
47,419
Amount of garbage collected 11,925 yards
Cesspool matter collected
297,500 gallons
Vault matter collected. 1,849 barrels
Respectfully submitted,
JAMES BROGAN, Foreman.
REPORT OF SANITARY INSPECTOR
JANUARY 2, 1925.
DR. M. T. SWEENEY, Health Commissioner, Quincy, Mass.
DEAR SIR :- I herewith respectfully submit my report for the year ending December 31, 1924.
Number of inspections made.
1,214
Number of violations reported.
634
Number of complaints received.
187
Number of written notices given.
565
Privy vaults abolished
1924
1923
By connection to sewer
54
28
By connection to cesspools.
22
29
Torn down
2
2
Total
78
59
Premises connected to sewer after notice.
50
212
CITY OF QUINCY
Hearings held :
Barber Shop.
1
New regulations. Stable
3
Total
5
Applications received :
Stable 4
Bottling Plants 10
Poultry
3
To cover brooks
Permits granted :
Stable
1
Bottling Plants. 10
Poultry
4
To cover brook. 3
Permits refused :
Stable
3
Analysis of well water made 2
During the months of January and February I devoted the greater part of my time to the office during the illness of the superintendent. I also filled in for the foreman during one week of his vacation.
The condition of the 550 privy vaults in the city is still one of the greatest menaces to the public health. Sewers are being con- structed in sections where these vaults are located but it will be many years before all streets have the public sewer. Only about 75 vaults are being eliminated each year. I would recommend that a regulation be adopted by this department prohibiting the use of privy vaults unless permitted by the Department of Health. The enforcement of this regulation would require property owners to install flush closets in their houses and to have them connected to suitable cesspools.
The following named streets are very much in need of sewers, the privy vaults being in exceptionally poor condition :
West Street, O'Connell Ave.
Bates Ave.
Brackett Street,
Field Street,
Smith Street.
Willard Street (south of West Quincy Depot).
The cesspools on Taber and Bailey streets are continually over- flowing and are the cause of many complaints. The public sewer should be installed on these streets as soon as possible in the spring.
Respectfully submitted,
A. A. ROBERTSON, Sanitary Inspector.
1
213
REPORT OF DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
REPORT OF ASSISTANT MILK INSPECTOR
JANUARY 1, 1925.
DR. M. T. SWEENEY, Health Commissioner.
DEAR SIR :- I herewith submit the following report of the Sani- tary Inspector acting as Assistant Milk Inspector for the year ending December 31, 1924.
The following statistics refer to milk, cream and ice cream con- sumed in the City of Quincy.
Dairies in the City of Quincy
1 cow
25
2 cows
7
3 to 5 cows 7
4
11 to 25 cows
15
25 to 85 cows
9
Total number of dairies 67
Total number of cows in the city of Quincy. 566
Total number of dairies within 15 miles of Quincy.
19
Total number of cows within 15 miles of Quincy.
289
Milk produced in Quincy and nearby dairies (qts.)
8466
Milk contractors processing and storage plants:
In Quincy
7
In Braintree
2
In Randolph 1
In Holbrook
2
In No. Hanover
1
In Milton
2
Milk consumed in city of Quincy per day (quarts) 28,799
Milk produced in. Quincy and nearby dairies. 8,466
Grade A produced within 60 miles of Quincy. 1,514
Certified 183
20,150
Raw
8,649
Per cent pasteurized
66
Per cent raw
34
Cream consumed in Quincy (quarts) 864
2,925
Ice Cream produced in Quincy (gallons) 525
300
Number of dairies scored in Quincy and nearby, 15 miles.
106
Teams, auto cars and trucks inspected in Quincy.
129
Number of cows examined.
901
New milk rooms built and under construction.
6
Cow stables new and remodeled.
5
Table Classification of Dairies Inspected and Scored
Scoring 30 to 40
2
Scoring 41 to 50
3
Scoring 51 to 60
63
Scoring 61 to 70
21
Pasteurized
Ice Cream consumed in Quincy (gallons)
Buttermilk consumed in Quincy (quarts)
5 to 10 cows
214
CITY OF QUINCY
Scoring 71 to 80
11
Scoring 81 to 100
6
Retail milk licenses issued stores, restaurants and bakeries 342
Retail ice cream licenses and producers. 215
Retail oleomargarine licenses 70
Milk producers licenses
41
Revenue from licenses $344.50
Dairies inspected and re-inspected in Quincy.
523
Dairies inspected within 15 miles of Quincy .. 64
Stores inspected 883
Milk rooms inspected. 64
Milk processing and storage plants inspected. 29
Ice cream manufacturing and storage plants inspected. 16
Ice cream samples collected.
24
Families and employees of milk dealers examined ..
28
Restaurants inspected 15
Complaints investigated, sanitary and dairies
61
Milk samples collected 1610
Taken from teams 845
Taken from dairies 420
Taken from stores 298
Taken from restaurants 23
24
Total
1610
There has been added to the work of this department the super- vision and licensing of 250 retail stores and manufacturing of ice cream. In the summer time, it requires care and watchfulness to protect the health of the people of our city, particularly the children, who use a great deal of this food.
This year the Health Department has had all cows whose dealers distribute raw milk tuberculin tested and all reacters have been taken out of the herds guaranteeing to the people a safe and pure milk for those who wish raw milk at a normal price.
I wish at this time to thank the local dealers for their kind co-operation in this matter.
The price of milk in Quincy for 1924 has remained the same as 1923. Cash and carry at the chain stores was 12 cents per quart to 25 cents for certified. Average family milk was 14 cents per quart.
Respectfully submitted,
JAMES O'DOWD,
Sanitary Inspector, Acting Assistant Milk Inspector.
Taken from bakeries
215
REPORT OF DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
REPORT OF INSPECTOR OF MEAT AND PROVISIONS
DECEMBER 31, 1924.
To the Health Commissioner, Quincy, Mass.
DEAR SIR :- I submit herewith the report of the work in this office for the year ending December 31, 1924.
Inspections made
490
Meats and Foodstuffs as Unfit for Food
Beef (pounds)
14
Pork (pounds)
11
Lamb (pounds)
15
Ham (pounds)
10
Frankfurts (pounds)
16
Smoked shoulder (pounds)
6
Sausage (pounds)
3
Fish (pounds)
15
Poultry (pounds)
50
Pigs feet (pounds)
6
Butter (pounds)
4
Sweet corn (bushels)
2
Spinach (bushels)
1
Financial Statement
Appropriation
$100 00
Expended :
Printing
$25 00
Transportation
64 00
Telephone
10 00
99 00
Unexpended balance
$1 00
Food Condemned as Unfit
6655
Frankfurst (pounds)
6
41 Lamb (pounds)
5
93 Lamb (pounds)
7
94 Fresh pork (pounds)
6
94 Beef (pounds)
4
185 Poultry (pounds)
1512
199 Spinach (bushels)
1
229
Frankfurts (pounds)
10
249 Poultry (pounds)
71/2 3
263 Lamb (pounds)
263
Fowl (pounds)
4
265
Pigs feet (pounds)
6
296
Butter (pounds)
4
322 Poultry (pounds)
5
324 Sweet corn (bushels)
2
332 Ham (pounds)
10
385 Smoked shoulder (pounds)
6
...
216
CITY OF QUINCY
386 Beef (pounds)
10
387 Fresh fish (pounds)
15
387 Fresh pork (pounds) 5
389 Sausage (pounds) 3
405 Poultry (pounds)
8
415 Poultry (pounds)
10
Markets 275
Grocery stores 84
Fruit stores
59
Restaurants 33
5
Creameries
456
There have been many changes in small stores and markets the past year. A large number have sold to new owners or closed up altogether; more the former.
Our city has grown very fast in the last five years and small blocks of stores have been built in many sections, and are. occupied as soon as completed, by fruit stores, markets, or the so-called chain stores, the latter, at the present time, numbering about fifty.
All stores, with a very few exceptions, carry a small amount of smoked and dried meat of different kinds. During the winter months a small stock of fresh meats is added.
This year I have found conditions much improved and less food condemned.
Many markets are using glass display counters for their meats, which are more attractive and neater ..
The few complaints made at this office we have attended to at once, in accordance with the rules and regulations of the De- partment of Health.
Respectfully submitted,
HOWARD ROGERS, Inspector of Meats and Provisions.
REPORT OF CONTAGIOUS DISEASE NURSE
JANUARY 1, 1925.
DR. M. T. SWEENEY, Health Commissioner.
Dear Sir:
I herewith submit my sixth annual report as Contagion Nurse for the year ending December 31, 1924.
A total of 1459 cases of communicable diseases was reported during the year as follows:
129
Diphtheria
Scarlet fever 161
Measles 889
Whooping cough
86
217
REPORT OF DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Mumps
28
Chicken pox
151
Typhoid fever 7
Anterior poliomyelitis 4
Ophthalmia neonatorum
3
Cerebrospinal meningitis
1
Diphtheria
There were very few cases of diphtheria during the year until the outbreak in the Daniel Webster School from October through December.
There were forty-three cases in this section at that time, with one death. This included adults, school-age and preschool-age.
Cultures of all contacts were taken in the school by the school physician, Dr. Drew, and her assistants and outside the school by the Contagion Nurse.
Most of these cases were of an extremely mild type and many had never been ill but showed a positive culture of the nose and throat.
An investigation was made for whooping cough at another part of the city, which resulted in the finding of not only whooping cough but three cases of diphtheria, from which one death occurred.
All contacts in the apartment house were cultured and another case was found.
Another interesting case of the year is of a boy seven years old who was found with positive cultures and quarantined three different times during the year, once at home and twice at the Contagious Hospital.
When quarantined the first time it was nearly four months before negative cultures could be obtained. His tonsils were re- moved at this time. He has just been released from the hospital.
All members of a family wherein a case of diphtheria exists are cultured and as far as possible all other contacts. Many "carriers" are found in this way who otherwise would never be discovered.
Scarlet Fever
There occurred a little over one-half as many cases of scarlet fever this year as last.
On account of the mildness of the type there was some difficulty with having the quarantine regulations kept up, which necessitated a great deal of follow-up work.
In one case it was necessary to place a special police on duty for four weeks to keep the scarlet fever patients home.
Measles
Most of the measles occurred during March, April, May and June and affected principally wards five and six.
There were no deaths.
Whooping Cough
There were eighty-six (86) cases of whooping cough reported, with two deaths.
There are still many cases of this disease that remain un- reported.
218
CITY OF QUINCY
Typhoid Fever
There were eight (8) cases of typhoid fever this year; one of which was a "carrier."
One of these cases came to the Quincy Hospital from a board- ing house in a neighboring town. The family with whom she lived moved to Quincy a short time after. About four months later another boarder in the same family became ill with typhoid fever.
This and other conditions seemed to warrant cultures being taken of all members of the household. This was done after some trouble and the "carrier" was found.
Another case came from Nova Scotia within two months when taken ill here.
The other cases could not be traced definitely. Some had been eating raw shell fish and had been travelling about the country.
There were eight deaths from all communicable diseases during the year as follows:
Diphtheria 6
Whooping cough 2
Twenty-four (24) cases of diphtheria; twenty-seven (27) cases of scarlet fever and one (1) case of measles were taken to the Homeopathic Contagious Hospital at Brighton.
One (1) anterior poliomyelitis case went to the Children's Hospital.
One (1) diphtheria case went to the Boston City Hospital, South Department.
Approximately 1058 diphtheria cultures and nine typhoid cul- tures were taken.
Over 2,577 home visits were made during the year.
Transportation for a patient with measles was provided from the Massachusetts General Hospital to Quincy.
Certificates were issued to all school children returning to school after having or in contact with contagious diseases.
No doubt there are more of the minor communicable diseases exist than are reported, but thinking people are realizing more and more the necessity of this regulation.
Schick Clinics
There were 61 clinics held during the year.
There was a total attendance of 630 persons.
New Schick tests 98 persons
Toxin anti-toxin given
409 persons
Retests made
79 persons
I wish to extend my appreciation and thanks to Dr. M. T. Sweeney, Health Commissioner, for his help and interest during the year and to members of the department.
Respectfully submitted,
RUTH W. MCKENZIE, Contagion Nurse.
219
REPORT OF DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
REPORT OF QUINCY DISPENSARY
JANUARY 1, 1925.
DR. FRED A. BARTLETT, Health Commissioner.
DEAR DOCTOR :- The following is the report of the Quincy Dispensary for the year ending December 31, 1924.
Cases of tuberculosis 266
Active
148
Arrested 54
Hospital
64
New cases reported during 1924. 116
Pulmonary
88
Hilum
16
T. B. other
12
Disposition of new cases
Admitted to sanatorium 38
Died
At home 44
5
Diagnosis revoked
2
Suspicious cases
40
Diagnosis changed from suspicious to Hilum 20
Admitted to hospital 49
Discharged
60
Condition on discharge
Arrested
8
Improved
12
Against advice
12
Dead
21
1
Quiescent
4
Transferred to other hospitals
2
60
Deaths
49
At sanatoria 21
At home 25
At Quincy City Hospital 2
Outside city
1
Tubercular clinics held 51
Attendance at clinics 900
Home visits made 744
Referred to Welfare Department 25
Referred to city physician 10
Clothing furnished patients for sanatoria 10
Milk provided by Anti-Tuberculosis Association (quarts) 204
Cases closed and addresses forwarded to state department ... 23
Information obtained from private doctors as to condition
of private patients 35
27
Moved away
Absconded
220
CITY OF QUINCY
Pretubercular case admitted to Norfolk County Hospital for
30 days' observation 2
Contacts of tuberculosis patients
Contacts examined
80
Referred for X-ray 36
Result of X-ray
Hilum tuberculosis 20
Tuberculosis adenitis 1
Pulmonary tuberculosis 2
Suspicious 10
Negative 3
Von Perquet tests 24 ..
Positive 18
Negative 6
Free transportation provided to Norfolk County Hospital for all X-ray cases.
Undernourished Clinic
Attendance 312
Referred to Quincy City Hospital for T. & A. 17
Referred to Quincy City Hospital for diagnosis pneumonia. 1
Vaccinations 26
Schick Clinics
Total Attendance 630
Shick
98
T. A. T. 409
Retest
79
Due to the splendid co-operation of all concerned in the work, marked progress has resulted during the past year.
The results were especially gratifying in the Hilum and Pre- ventorium Clinics.
During the two months I spent at Norfolk County Hospital Pre- ventorium the average increase in weight on return was 6 pounds. One gained 12 pounds, and the general improvement on expansion, chest development, etc., was very noticeable. Also the morale and enthusiasm of these children were striking, all expressing the desire to go back this year. Facilities and money, by the way, have already been provided for caring for three times as many this coming year by the Norfolk County Public Health As- sociation. Progressive support along this line seems to me to be the logical and surest way to stamp out Tuberculosis.
The Schick Clinic for preventing diphtheria was established during the past year and here also striking results have obtained. Retests in the fall and this spring show practically all cases Schicked last spring are now immune to diphtheria. It seems that there should be a far greater number of children in this city availing themselves of the benefit of this test and any progress along these lines will certainly be beneficial.
In closing I wish to thank Miss Coleman, the Dispensary nurse, the doctors of Quincy and yourself for generous co-operation.
Yours truly,
C. J. LYNCH, M. D., Dispensary Physician.
221
REPORT OF DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
REPORT OF CHILD WELFARE . NURSE
JANUARY 1, 1925.
DR. FRED A. BARTLETT, Health Commissioner.
DEAR SIR :- I herewith submit my fifth annual report as Child Welfare Nurse for the year ending December 31, 1924.
There were 330 visits to babies and 38 prenatal visits made. This is called the follow-up work of the clinics.
There were 44 referred to the T & A clinic at the Quincy City Hospital and 4 referred to X-ray Department. One of these X-rays pictures and treatment was financed by the Welfare De- partment of Quincy.
There were 11 referred to the Boston Dispensary and 6 to Children's Hospital for further corrective treatment.
There were 81 referred to family physicians and 4 to the Wel- fare Department. There were 10 inspections made of homes as boarding places for infants, and 23 babies who have left the city.
There have been 51 deaths in the city, of babies under 1 year, 3 of which were under clinic supervision and cause of deaths were considered not preventable, being:
1 Ilio Colytis
1 Pyloric Stenosis
1 Bron. Pneumonia
There were four weekly clinics held in the city as follows:
Monday at West Quincy, Ward Four
Tuesday at Atlantic, Ward Six
Thursday at Quincy Square, Ward One Friday at Quincy Point, Ward Two
Until June 10th the Atlantic clinic was changed from Tuesday to Wednesday and another clinic was started in Masonic Hall, Beale Street, Wollaston, Ward Five, which was later transferred to the Library building, Beale Street, Wollaston.
The growth of the clinic attendance since 1923 is as follows: Clinics Held 1923 1924
Ward :
1517
2272
Ward 2
739
653
Ward 4
498
478
Ward 5
1020
Ward 6
932
600
Total attendance
3,686
5,023
There were 221 clinics held.
The untiring attention of Dr. E. B. Fitzgerald and his assist- ants was given to the Tuesday and Thursday clinics, making 2,307 complete or partial examinations.
In 1923 there were 708 complete or partial examinations.
There are 950 babies under two years and 51 between two and six years. 12 transferred to the school nurses.
These clinics make it possible for many more babies to come under the supervision of a physician, who otherwise would not, as a fat baby to most mothers means a well baby, yet there may be physical defects which can be corrected in early childhood, which if allowed to persist are very difficult to handle later on in life.
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